Argumentative Essay On Stop And Frisk

487 Words1 Page

Stop and Frisk is a police tactic used to interrogate and search people suspected of criminal activity. This police tactic was developed to deter criminal activity within areas of high crime rates. In addition, this crime prevention tactic is recognized as a safety tool for the protection of police officers on duty. Stop and frisk consists of a quick pat down of an individual’s outer garment in search for concealed weapons and/or narcotics. This proactive police method was developed in 1968, the U.S Supreme Court approved it after the Terry v. Ohio case, upholding restrictions on officers enforcing these acts. The fact of limitations restricts officers from using their discretion against another race. In this instance, officers were required …show more content…

Low income communities has been main focus as to reducing crime; however due to racial profiling, many African-Americans and Latinos are overwhelmingly targeted and abused by police officials. According to the New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU), an organization used to defend and preserve the rights and liberties of every person in the state by the constitution and laws of the United States, has encountered numerous cases regarding clients that have been racially profiled. The NYCLU has stated the stop and frisk method has shown little to no progress as an effective tactic in decreasing crime rates in certain communities. In regards to violent crimes, the NYCLU states, “only 11 percent of stops in 2011 were based on a description of a violent crime suspect. On the other hand, from 2002 to 2011, black and Latino residents made up close to 90 percent of people stopped, and about 88 percent of stops – more than 3.8 million – were of innocent New Yorkers”. Given these statics, law abiding citizens are being racially targeted because of their skin color. Evidently, this is furthering the trust between the police and the community. Proactive policing can only be achieved with the cooperation of the community and the stop and frisk is eliminating the chance for a better

Open Document